February 12, 2016

Every time muddy
waters of Lake Okeechobee roar through the release gates, there is a loud
outcry. Particularly from the direction of the affluent FL East Coast communities
up and down the coast from Palm Beach. And that outcry is heard, it matters because
the dollarites there have clout. Good, they wake up media, shake up politicians
and water managers when they see their expensive real estate devalued as the
dirty water pours into Indian River Lagoon and laps onto their manicured waterfront
properties. To be just, it has to be noted that FL West Coast got also badly
hit by the recent emergency water releases from the Lake. Coastal waters in the vicinity of Fort Myers
and in the mouth of the Caloosahatchee look like somebody emptied a giant mug
of coffee there. Blooming red, green and brown algae tides are following
everywhere supported by nutrient pollution.The tourists, expecting pristine blue waters that Florida advertizes
world wide, are disgusted, locals are mad and the fish are already gone or dead.

The situation
prompted Governor Scott to even chime in “let
something be done” ! As if he would not know any better – and he probably
does not.

Scott’s letter, sent on Thursday, comes one day after the
mayors of Lee County’s six municipalities held an emergency meeting to discuss
steps to address the water releases.Well, what could we expect ?The releases are upon us as we were caught up with our pants down -
again. Mother Nature unexpectedly filled up Lake O, we added the crap - and the
Army Engineers had to turn the taps so that we wouldn’t get flooded by it all if
the dike gave way. All of our own making. As we keep dithering in fixing the
Everglades, we notice only when a disaster starts happening, our notorious management
by crisis. Of course that we know how to repair the damages already done around
the Everglades. We can hardly really “restore” the Everglades as we keep repeating
– but we could honestly try to at least establish some cleaner “steady state” of
fresh water on the peninsula so that 8 million people down south of it would
not be facing continuous danger and possibility of outright annihilation. No,
that is not an exageration, the freshwater is running out, flooding poses a real and imminent threat,
pollution is out of hand and overcrowding does creep in - all precursors of an economic decline, of a local
culture demise.

Rather than a mass
exodus, just imagine a gradual depopulation as 8 million people consider this-and-that
and slowly decide to abandon threatened areas for safer higher grounds and cleaner
water – the essential foundations of life. Just watch for the real estate values
decline as our leaders continue to dither and yep, paralyzed and subservient to
financial super-interests.

It is disgusting to look at the
money grab for the new dollar resource provided through Amendment 1 that people wholeheartedly supported – and politicians
are cleverly diverting in all kinds of unintended directions. Amazing machinations
!

Reconstituting the Everglades
sheet-flow southward through the Everglades Agricultural Area ? Forget it – and
billion-dollar reservoirs are a drop in the bucket, and a pretty dirty drop at
that.

Nothing seems moving–
let alone water South. A few drops maybe, but we would rather keep wasting it to
tides in the direction West and East. Until the angry rising seas pour in from
all directions and wipe us all out.Doomsday scenarios ? Oh yeah, just watch
the salinity already quietly creeping in underground. And just keep debating -

About Me

What about ME ? I don't think that I am all that important. I am perhaps a pragmatic and technical person - and a dreamer at the same time - a Scientist and an Engineer: "Let's get things done" - to the best of our most conteporary knowledge and with all in the decision-making process being really honest !
I am excited about the challenges the Everglades present nowadays. There have been errors in the past in how the delicate Everglades system has been handled. Now let's see just how we can correct those errors.
I appreciate our ecology that supports our lifestyle - for a price. Human civilizations rose and fell because of water availability. The fascinating Everglades are the largest eco-experiment in the world - can we and are we willing to pay the price for setting it right ? And - are we completely (cross-your-heart) honest in our decision-making, all greed aside ?